NBA Picks and Predictions for Wednesday April 8
Our team of writers and handicappers hand out their NBA picks and predictions for Wednesday, April 8.
Washington Wizards at Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:05PM ET
Feeding off a sellout crowd at home, Gilbert Arenas and the woeful Washington Wizards upset LeBron James and the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers last week to end their franchise-record winning streak.
The Wizards could have a hard time duplicating that performance in Cleveland.
The Cavaliers look to run their home mark to 38-1 on Wednesday night when they face the Wizards, owners of one the NBA's worst road records.
Washington (18-60) is in last place in the Eastern Conference in part because Arenas has played only two games, having spent the majority of the season recovering from knee surgery.
Arenas was on the court Thursday night, however, and helped the Wizards to a 109-101 victory over the Cavaliers (62-15), who had won a team-record 13 consecutive games. Arenas shot 3-for-11 but had 11 points, 10 assists and six rebounds as Washington won for the second time in three meetings with Cleveland this season.
NBA Free Pick: Cleveland | Best Line: -14 Sports Interaction
Toronto Raptors at Indiana Pacers, 6:05PM ET
All games in this series since 1996
TORONTO is 29-17 against the spread versus INDIANA since 1996
INDIANA is 28-20 straight up against TORONTO since 1996
25 of 46 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL since 1996
Games over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 7-3 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 7-3 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
All games played at INDIANA since 1996
TORONTO is 13-9 against the spread versus INDIANA since 1996
INDIANA is 16-7 straight up against TORONTO since 1996
14 of 22 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL since 1996
Games played at INDIANA over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 2-2 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 2-2 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
NBA Free Pick: Toronto | Best Line: +6.5 Sports Interaction
Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks, 9:35PM ET
The playoff field in the Western Conference is all but figured out. The final seedings, however, are far from decided.
The Dallas Mavericks look to clinch the last available playoff spot in the West on Wednesday night when they host the Utah Jazz in a matchup of teams hoping to finish the regular season strong in an attempt to avoid the No. 8 seed.
After delivering an incredible offensive performance in a 140-116 rout of Phoenix on Sunday, Dallas (46-31) will clinch the conference's last remaining postseason berth with its next win or the Suns' next loss. Phoenix visits New Orleans on Wednesday night.
With their ninth straight playoff appearance nearly wrapped up, the Mavericks are focused now on moving up in the standings and avoiding a first-round matchup with the conference-best Los Angeles Lakers, who have clinched the top seed.
Dallas has a good chance of making a move in the standings with its next three games against Utah (47-30) and New Orleans - the two teams directly in front of it in the race. After hosting the Jazz, the Mavericks play a home-and-home series against the Hornets over the weekend.
NBA Free Pick: Utah | Best Line: +3.5 Sports Interaction